Summary: University of Virginia Medical Center
Clinical Protocol for Moderate or Deep Sedation/Analgesia in Adult Patients
A. PURPOSE
Sedation and analgesia are used alone or in combination to facilitate the performance of medical or
surgical procedures, for diagnostic or therapeutic purposes, while providing anxiolysis, sedation, amnesia
and/or pain relief for patient comfort. This protocol provides guidelines for the administration of sedation/
analgesia to adult patients in all locations throughout the Health System (a separate protocol covers
Moderate or Deep Sedation/Analgesia in Children and Adolescents) in association with the performance of
procedures for diagnostic or therapeutic purposes. Other purposes or uses of sedation and analgesia that
are specifically exempt from this protocol are defined in Medical Center Policy No. 0153. 1
This protocol
applies when the plan of care is for a moderate or deep level of sedation. Minimal sedation (anxiolysis) is
exempt from this protocol. This protocol applies for all procedures, and in all patient populations not
covered by a specialized protocol formally approved as described in Policy 0153.
Use of sedation/analgesia for procedures in continuouslymonitored, intubated patients (endotracheal or
tracheostomy), when completed in a critical care or intermediate care unit or the Emergency Department,
may not require specific separate evaluation or informed consent however, the medical record should
reflect awareness of the patient's medical status prior to the procedure and the minimum monitoring
standard outlined below is still required.
Because the level of a patient's sedation is defined by the patient's psychologic and physiologic state, and